Police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of opposition supporters in Cameroon on Sunday, a day before the announcement of presidential election results.
Protesters in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, defied protest restrictions to support opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bekri, who they claim has defeated the country’s longtime leader Paul Biya.
“We want Tchioroma, we want Tchioroma!” The protesters barricaded the roads.
Biya hoped to win back the presidency of Cameroon
Protests also broke out in several other cities after partial results reported by local media showed that 92-year-old Biya was on course to win for an eighth term.
The government has rejected opposition claims of irregularities and called on citizens to wait for official results.
Authorities have banned gatherings until the results of the October 12 vote are announced on Monday.
Tchiroma, a former minister and one-time ally of Biya, claimed that he had won the election and would not accept any other result. According to Tchiroma, he received 54.8% of the votes.
In his hometown, Garoua, activists carried Cameroonian flags and banners reading “Tchiroma 2025” and chanted “Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming.”
Biya has been in power in Cameroon since 1982. Another seven-year term would extend his reign to nearly 100 years.
Edited by: Zack Crellin